Alone in the Dark - Pre-launch FAQ

General questions

1. What date and time does the game release? Is the release simultaneous across all time zones? The game will be released on 20 March 2024, at 7am PDT / 10am EDT/ 2pm GMT / 3pm CET / 11pm JST. Release is simultaneous worldwide.
2. Which platforms will the game release on? PC (Steam and GOG), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X.
3. Are there plans for release on additional platforms, e.g. Epic Games, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, GeForce Now, Gamepass, Mac, Linux, etc.? There are no plans for release on additional platforms at the moment.
4. Why is there no pre-order option on Steam/GOG? For this game we don’t offer digital pre-order on PC.
5. Will there be a launch week discount on Steam/GOG to make up for players not being able to claim the preorder bonus? Yes, there will be a release discount on PC. Details will be announced in due time.
6. When does the review embargo drop? How can I get reviewer/content creator access? If you are a content creator, please contact [email protected] and make sure to link your YouTube/Twitch channel in your email. The embargo for non-sponsored content creators drops at 4am PDT / 7am EDT / 11am GMT / 12 noon CET / 8pm JST on March 20, 2024.
7. How much does the game cost? Standard edition: € 59.99 / $ 59.99 Digital Deluxe edition: € 69.99 / $ 69.99 Collector’s edition: € 199.99 / $ 199.99
8. I can’t seem to find the US/German collector’s editions for sale anywhere–are they sold out already? Those items are usually subject to availability of the respective retailers and may vary across different regions.
9. Does the collector’s edition come with the standard version of the game or the digital deluxe version? It comes with the DLCs that are also part of the digital deluxe edition, i.e. Derceto 1992 Costume Pack, Director's Commentary Mode and Vintage Horror Filter Pack.
10. Do physical editions for PC come with a disc, Steam code or both? Both. This applies to both standard and collector’s editions.
11. Are any additional languages planned? (e.g. Turkish, Ukrainian, European Portuguese, European Spanish VO) No, these are not planned from a current perspective.
12. Are there going to be beta tests for the game? No.
13. Is there a roadmap for future content? No, not at the moment.
14. Will there be microtransactions or other monetization features? No. Our vision for the game was to deliver a classic horror experience, featuring combat, puzzle, exploration and a compelling story told from two different perspectives (Edward and Emily).
15. Will there be custom Steam backgrounds, avatars and game profiles? Will the game have Steam trading cards? Yes to trading cards. No to the rest.
16. How big is the dev studio that worked on the game? Pieces Interactive is around 40 people.

Technical questions

1. Will users be able to preload the game? No.
2. Will the game be always online? / Will it be playable offline? It is entirely playable offline.
3. Will the game feature any sort of multiplayer? (e.g. co-op as Emily and Edward) No.
4. Does the game run on Steam Deck? If so, how well? Is it verified? We’re still looking into it. Currently targeting that it runs around launch.
5. What are the final hardware requirements? Minimum System Requirements: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Windows 10 CPU: Ryzen 3 3100 / Core i3-8300 GPU: GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / Radeon RX 570 RAM: 8GB DirectX: 12 Storage: SSD with 70GB available space Recommended System Requirements: Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system OS: Win 10 Processor: Ryzen 7 3700X / Core i5-12400 Memory: 16 GB RAM Graphics: GeForce RTX 2060 / Radeon RX 5700 XT DirectX: 12.0 Storage: SSD with 70GB available space
6. Will the game be limited to one player / save file per system? No. Players can have up to 10 save files.
7. Will the game have 3rd party DRM such as Denuvo? No.
8. Which engine was used to make the game? Unreal Engine 4.
9. Will the game be VR compatible? The game does not have official VR support.
10. Will we be able to disable motion blur, film grain and other such post-processing effects? You will be able to disable motion blur, DOF and chromatic aberration.
11. Will we be able to adjust camera/FOV? You will be able to invert camera controls and adjust FOV.
12. Will we be able to turn off button mashing? Yes.
13. Are the controls customizable? Yes for keyboard and mouse. No for controller.
14. Are there any plans to support PlayStation controller layouts or will all buttons be displayed as Xbox buttons? Currently not planned.
15. Will the game have advanced graphics options on PC such as DLSS, FrameGen and FSR? Yes, the game has DLSS and FSR options, but does not support FrameGen.
16. Does the game support ultrawide resolutions? Yes.
17. Will the game let us choose between performance and quality mode on consoles? Yes.

Content questions

1. Will all content that is included in the Digital Deluxe edition eventually be available on all platforms? All extra content from Digital Deluxe edition will be available for purchase on all platforms later.
2. Is this game a remaster, remake or something different? Does it follow the story of the original games trilogy? The game is a reimagination–it uses themes and characters from the original trilogy, but the story is new.
3. Are the events of the prologue relevant to the story of the main game? Part of the prologue (Grace posting the letter) is referenced in-game, but playing the prologue is not needed to understand the main story.
4. Do I need to have played the original trilogy to understand this game? No, although if you have, you will notice many details and potentially some easter eggs. No prior knowledge is required to enjoy the game, yet it will evoke nostalgic feelings for those who played the original 30 odd years ago.
5. Does this game have any relation to the stories/lore of Alone in the Dark 2008, A New Nightmare or Illumination? No.
6. Why was Edward designed to look so differently? (e.g. no mustache) From the game’s creative director, Mikael Hedberg: “Edward started out a private detective with a magnificent moustache and gradually became more of an action hero in the later games. Like with most of our elements we went back to the original and had him pegged as a sort of scholarly detective. This was great, as we knew we didn’t want an action hero for our game, but when paired up with Emily he seemed a little uninteresting. Emily was this tormented character with a family connection to our story catalyst Jeremy Hartwood, so she came more naturally. The question then was, who was Edward to her. Turns out she hires him to help her. And she certainly wouldn’t hire just anybody. He had to be at least a little capable. To avoid the action type he fell into the reluctant hero slot and suddenly we had gone all this way to kind of wind up with a classic noir detective. I think with as little we actually knew about Edward in the original game, I feel like our Edward is pretty close. Except for his majestic moustache, of course.”
7. How long is the game? If you rush through the main story, a playthrough will take approximately 8 hours, but keep in mind that you will need at least two playthroughs to get the whole story (one as Edward, one as Emily).
8. The demo was just a walking simulator! Will the main game be like that? No. The main game features a mix of exploration/dialogue, puzzle solving and combat.
9. Will we be able to purchase the soundtrack separately? Yes, it will be available as a DLC on Steam.